China is trying to regulate relationships with AI – can it work?

 

The film Ex Machina shows one way in which relationships with AI companions might go wrong. Image courtesy of BFA / Alamy Stock Photo.

Joel Kontinen

China  has begun to negotiate  relation with AI, But earnestly, something might go wrong with it.  Only when individuals speak with others can there be real understanding. We were not taught to communicate with AI but with  human individuals.  

China has begun regulating interactions with artificial intelligence in an attempt to protect its citizens from overreliance and exploitation. While many countries have been looking at rules around harmful content, China is the first to go a step further in legislating what kind of relationships with AI are permissible.

The new rules came into force this month and cover AI systems designed for sustained, human-like emotional interaction, while excluding customer-service bots and productivity assistants like straightforward AI chatbots.

Companies must now inform users they are talking to an AI, encourage them to take breaks and remind them of their usage. They must also monitor interactions to identify if someone is becoming dependent or having a crisis, then direct them to support or halt the conversation altogether.

 Source:

Chris Stokel-Walker 2026 China is trying to regulate relationships with AI – can it work? | New Scientist 22 July